Women's Ice Hockey

SOUSA LIFTS WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY PAST NICHOLS IN 2-1 WIN

HARRISVILLE, RI - The University of Massachusetts Boston women's ice hockey team edged Nichols College, 2-1, in an ECAC Women's East game at June Rockwell Levy Community Rink Saturday evening. The Beacons improve to 1-1 overall and in conference play while the Bison dip to 0-2 both overall and in league play. The win was the first career victory for UMass Boston Head Coach Colleen Harris who joined the Beacons after a short stint as the Nichols head coach earlier this year.

The Beacons took a first period lead when Rachel Sousa (Woburn, MA) chipped the puck out of the UMass Boston zone to Lauren Duran (Woburn, MA), who skated it all the way down before her shot deflected off a Nichols skater and past Bison goaltender Francesca Palazzo (Bernardston, MA) at 7:14.

SueEllen Nault (Goffstown, NH) evened the score just past the midpoint of the opening frame. She picked off a neutral zone pass and skated it in unopposed before banking it in off the crossbar at 11:21.

The Bison fought off a five-on-three in the middle frame and had a short-handed chance when Krista-Jean Forand (Plymouth, MA) returned from the first penalty and skated in on a two-on-one with Megan Gerein (Dubuque, IA) but were denied by UMass Boston junior goaltender Leah Hallett (Rocky Hill, CT).

Sousa scored the game-winner in the third period with a low-angle one-timer that snuck past Palazzo at 3:50. Brittany Usmail (New Hartford, NY) sent the pass down from the right faceoff dot to Sousa below the circle for the assist.

Nichols had a late power play and pulled the goalie for the final 30 seconds but could not convert.

Hallett made 13 saves in net for the Beacons while Palazzo finished with 27. Both teams were 0-for-3 on the power play.

Nichols is back in action on Tuesday, November 9 in a 7:00 p.m. game at Manhattanville while the Beacons return to the ice on Friday, November 11 in their home opener vs. Holy Cross in a 4:00 p.m. matchup.